The Evanescent Trail dissolved completely around Shirei. The last magical traces vanished like mist beneath the rising sun. The raven-haired Blendbreed found himself in the cafeteria of the Colorno hospital.
He felt a growing signal of alarm inside him. His sharpened senses detected something wrong—a malevolent presence lurking just beyond the wall's boundary.
He swallowed.
It must be the wanderer.
His violet eyes scanned the room cautiously. I'm sure I passed out somewhere else, he thought, so how did I wake up here? His breath was ragged, echoing through the nearly empty space. The room, which just minutes earlier would have been filled with the voices of the elderly, was now wrapped in tendrils of unsettling darkness climbing along the walls. The long rows of wooden tables, their surfaces faded, had been shattered by the mysterious dark force, which had stopped right at his feet.
He craned his neck toward the strange stain and examined it.
The pulsating magical mass lay on the floor, tracing illogical lines along the entire cafeteria's perimeter. The pitch-black edges seemed to writhe, while the interior shifted into shades of violet and bluish hues. It looked almost alive, ready to consume the souls of Blendbreeds and all mortals in total corruption.
Aware of the discoveries he'd made within his own Evanescent Trail, the son of Cragar closed his eyelids and placed a hand on his chest. His goal was to replicate what he had done in his subconscious: channel the aether to enhance his vision.
He knew what Ada had explained to him, so this was merely a trial. Once he survived the sensation, he would make sure to train that ability to perfection.
To his great surprise, the power responded immediately to his will. He repeated the same steps he had used in the Evanescent Trail to activate the technique, and a shiver ran down his spine. He stifled the unpleasant feeling and allowed the aether to flow into his visual system. The world around him changed, but he felt his eyes begin to burn. He managed a glimpse at the residual stains of darkness before a wave of pain and tears forced him to shut his eyes tight.
He felt the aether being reabsorbed into his Divine Core, yet he waited a few seconds before opening his eyes again and reflected on what he had seen. The traces of darkness had appeared as green-colored particles—there was no doubt.
Aether.
He took a deep breath and looked around the cafeteria once more. Only then did a movement to his left catch his attention.
Next to the Blendbreed was Ada, her slim and muscular frame taut like a bowstring. The girl was sitting on the floor, rigid, her torso leaning forward and her hands gripping her bent knees tightly, as if trying to anchor herself to something real. Her large, glassy gray eyes stared at an undefined point in front of her, without truly seeing it. Her hair was disheveled, falling over her face in dark, fine strands.
The girl, however, wasn't still—on the contrary, she was trembling uncontrollably.
Shirei considered whether or not to approach her, just before a roar drew his attention. The fingers of his right hand twitched, ready to summon the Blade of Discord at the slightest sign of danger.
A second passed. Then ten. Thirty. A full minute. But nothing happened.
The Forbidden Heir refocused on his companion and noticed her lips part, then close again, as if she were repeating something silently to herself.
"Ada?" the boy murmured. He crouched down, trying to get a better look at her face. "What's going on?"
The Blendbreed didn't answer, continuing to stare into the void as if he weren't even there. Shirei cautiously touched her shoulder, attempting to shake her from the likely state of shock she was in. The daughter of Rutia seemed to regain clarity for a moment, then her gaze returned to that empty stare. Her lips moved, forming a sentence that might as well have come from the mouth of a child terrified by animals, lost in a zoo.
"The lion is here, the lion is hungry… The lion is here, the lion is hungry…" she said in a dull whisper, almost mechanical, as if the words had been burned into her mind. The tone of her voice was laced with visceral terror.
Suddenly, a second beastly roar tore through the silence. The sound, so powerful it shook the very foundations of the building, echoed through the hospital's corridors. Glasses and cutlery rattled on the tables, and the walls seemed to tremble under the assault of that sonic wave.
The son of Cragar, with an icy calm, turned toward his companion. He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her firmly. The contact with another person sent a jolt of discomfort shooting up his arm to the base of his shoulder, but he pushed aside the instinct to recoil and focused on her.
"Ada."
No response.
"Ada," he repeated. "Why are we here? Where's Havel? Where are the patients?"
A third roar, even stronger, surged through the building, rumbling along the corridors and making the walls quake. It was a savage sound, filled with malice and an insatiable hunger.
The son of Cragar turned toward the girl again, who kept repeating the same phrase, like a broken record that couldn't stop. Her eyes, still locked in the void, had widened in terror. Her lips moved faster now.
"The lion is here, the lion is hungry. The lion is here, the lion is hungry."
The voice of the daughter of Rutia—a hoarse, desperate whisper—blended with the fading echo of the roar, warning them not to cross the cafeteria's closed doors. Shirei was as worried about his companion's condition as he was about Havel's mysterious absence. He wanted to understand what had happened while he was within the Trail, but he knew he wouldn't get any answers unless he took control of the situation.
First of all, I need to make the cafeteria a safe place.
He stood up and raised a hand into the air, calling for his creatures. "Reno," he said firmly. "I need you."
The air in front of him shimmered, as if distorted by a mirage, and the ethereal form of the dark creature began to take shape. The Tenebrae—once a Blendbreed and now a loyal servant to Shirei—appeared with a smirk that quickly shifted into a serious expression.
"What can I do for you?" asked the former son of Aor.
"Establish a security perimeter around the cafeteria," the boy ordered.
Within seconds, the spectral orcs materialized in the room. Shirei still struggled to understand how he was able to control them, but after his journey through the Evanescent Trail, he assumed he'd find the answer one day.
He cleared his throat and spoke again. "Lead the orcs and start sweeping this floor. I want to be notified of anything unusual you find."
Reno nodded, his grin widening again. "If we run into monsters, can I give them a proper beating?"
"Yes," sighed the son of Cragar, "but I want to be warned first. You need to be cautious. Your wounds are also mine—and beyond a certain limit, I won't be able to heal you."
"Got it, boss."
Without another word, the specter moved toward the closed door and passed through it. With the Tenebrae in place, Shirei turned back to assess the situation in the kitchen. He wanted to try bringing Ada back to her senses, but the Blendbreed seemed completely lost.Giving her some time might have been the better choice—and that's exactly what he did.
He stepped beyond the door and the counter, where he found the lifeless bodies of the staff, strewn about like macabre, abandoned mannequins. Some were slumped over the tables, others sprawled across the floor in unnatural positions. Their faces were twisted in expressions of terror and pain, their eyes wide open and staring into nothingness.
He approached one of them, unfazed by the scene, and calmly observed, searching for any sign that could help him understand how they'd been killed. The acrid scent of the dark stains mixed with the stale aroma of food left on trays. The silence was broken only by Ada's ragged breathing.
Shirei felt a shiver run down his spine as he touched the black marks on the victims' chests. He followed the individual dark trails on the floor with his eyes—threads that converged into a thick line leading toward the corridors.
Did the wanderer kill them? he asked himself. Ineed more information about our enemy. Staying here in the cafeteria is a waste of time. I have to find out what really happened.
He rose to his feet and returned to his companion.
"Ada," he called, careful not to frighten her further. "We need to find Havel—he could be in danger. Do you know where he is?"
The daughter of Rutia seemed to struggle to focus on him, her gaze shifting and beginning to wander around the room.
"Havel… Havel…" she murmured, her voice cracked by panic.
Shirei gently placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to anchor her to the present. "Breathe. You're safe. You and I—we're companions. We'll fix this."
For a moment, it seemed the Blendbreed wouldn't respond. Then, with effort, she focused her gaze on him.
"The anchor," she whispered, terror lacing her voice. "Havel went to look for the anchor."
"He left us here to keep us safe…"
Ada nodded a couple of times. "Y-y-yes."
Venturing alone into a place he doesn't know just to reach the goal… it's what a madman would do… but also what I would do…
The son of Cragar paused, analyzing the situation. Havel was reckless and desperate to protect Ada. However, diving headfirst into the enemy's den with no real plan or clue where to go was a leap into the void. Was that choice driven by his urge to protect the Equinox Flowers—or was the insignificant duel he lost still gnawing at his psyche?
Either way, he can't be left behind.
Shirei grabbed Ada's arm firmly. The daughter of Rutia looked at him, frightened, but he didn't stop to explain. He pulled her toward the cafeteria exit. His sharp mind weighed whether to take her along or lead her out of the rift.
The latter made more sense, but Shirei was convinced she could be useful in the fight against the wanderer.
At least according to the Placid.
Twice the doppelgänger had warned him. Once within his subconscious, when speaking of the bearer of darkness. The second time, just minutes earlier, within the Evanescent Trail.
If the logic holds, then the two things are connected.
He glanced down the corridor, scattered with stains of darkness, and his resolve deepened.
Ada is tied to all of this somehow.
Abandoning the idea of leaving the Blendbreed behind, he sent a mental signal to Reno, informing him of their next steps.
The Tenebrae's voice echoed in his mind. "You sure, boss? Your powers will be deactivated—I won't be able to help you."
"Yes. It doesn't matter if the ichor interferes with my Divine Core."
The son of Cragar turned to his companion and said, "We need to reach the underground levels and help Havel. That's where we're going. Please, be strong."
The Blendbreed nodded and looked away. At another time, if her mind had been clearer, she would have been surprised by how Shirei was handling the situation. More than once, he had seemed strange or awkward—but now he appeared calm and confident. It was reassuring.
They started moving again. Ada stumbled more than once, her trembling body struggling to stay upright. Shirei was forced to support her, shielding her not just from external threats but from her own fragility. The hospital corridors—lively just an hour earlier—were now deserted and eerie, overrun with black tendrils.
Suddenly, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed from an adjacent corridor. The son of Cragar, acting on instinct, pushed Ada back against the wall, shielding her with his body.
Reno, I told you to warn me.
For some reason, he received no answer from the creature, and that alone raised his concern. He extended his fingers and summoned the Blade of Discord, its acid-green light casting a spectral glow on the walls.
"We have no choice," he murmured, more to himself than to his companion. "We must pass through the Interworld."
At first, he was reluctant to undergo a Spectral Travel with his friend in such a fragile state, but he couldn't risk being caught by the monsters in the hospital.
If the spectral orcs were strong enough, I might use them, but as things stand, I'd only end up draining my Divine Core. Reno is the only one who has a chance… but I still don't understand why he's not answering me.
Without further delay, the boy gripped Ada's hand and focused, drawing on Cragar's powers. The air around them began to vibrate, until reality itself seemed to bend and distort. In an instant, the two were swallowed by darkness and found themselves wrapped in the surreal landscape of the Interworld. The Blendbreed, already shaken by the events in the cafeteria, seemed to be sinking further into panic. Her eyes, wide with terror, weren't focused on anything in particular, lost in the liquid turmoil of the in-between realm.
Her lips kept moving, repeating the same phrase: "The lion will find us, the lion will find us."
Shirei pushed himself and the girl back through the portal between worlds, re-emerging at the entrance to the underground levels of the hospital of Colorno.
The son of Cragar took a breath before the already open door, an archway that led into a massive corridor cloaked in darkness.
There was no doubt—the Wanderer was waiting for them down there.
He tightened his grip on his weapon and moved forward, Ada following close behind. The cold, damp air of the undergrounds hit them like a slap. The walls seemed to pulse with a life of their own, and the distant echo of the roar reminded them that the danger was far from over.
The Blendbreed with violet eyes drew in a deep breath. "From here on, my powers are blocked. Let's find Havel and destroy this Rift as soon as possible."
They delved into the depths of the undergrounds, the sound of their steps echoing against the ancient stone pillars. The deeper they went into the hospital's bowels, the thicker and more humid the air became. Just a few steps ahead waited the altar where the rite to turn patients into monsters was performed. Shirei slowed down, pulling his companion with him and hiding behind a pillar. The situation was far too suspicious.
If the hospital is empty, that means all the patients must be in the underground.
That brought him to the second anomaly: the silence. It was hard to see in the dark, but Shirei was certain they weren't alone.
The roars stopped the moment we entered here. The Wanderer is waiting for us.
He tightened his grip on his weapon—he needed to create a source of light to understand the situation before acting. There had to be a second hidden zone accessible from there. It was the only way the doctors could be sure they wouldn't be attacked by the newly created monsters.
A safe place.
Assuming that place could be a sanctuary, they would need to find the laboratory section without drawing the Wanderer's attention.
And yet I don't see how I could manage that, especially without my powers.
The Blendbreed turned toward Ada, hoping the daughter of Rutia might have some hidden technique that could help them.
Once again, I wasn't able to do anything on my own.
A moment passed, and then an intuition rose from his subconscious, pushing him to try.
Maybe…
It was no more than a desperate attempt, but one that could potentially change everything. He closed his eyes.
That technique still doesn't have a name. Or maybe it does, and I just don't know it.
He wanted to tell himself he'd look it up once he returned to Lilies Park, but he was starting to believe that day might never come. Given the situation, the odds were heavily against them. So, he repeated the same process he had used before. He channeled aether toward his visual system until he felt his eyes begin to burn. It shouldn't have worked—his powers were suppressed by the ichor in the undergrounds. It was a futile effort.
And yet, it worked.
The son of Cragar opened his eyes in a rush of emerald-green energy. Ada's breath caught in her throat as she saw his violet eyes shift color, but she said nothing, only hoping things would go well.
Shirei blinked with difficulty, his eyes on the verge of igniting. He looked around and saw, deep in the darkness, a humanoid figure wrapped in a stormy cocoon of aether.
The Wanderer.
The Blendbreed shifted his gaze, searching for a place where particles of aether, mana—or anything at all—might be leaking through.
It doesn't make sense… he's waiting, even though he knows we're here.
He wasn't one to waste time, so Shirei couldn't begin to understand the enemy's twisted sense of amusement. He kept scanning, tears caused by the burning in his eyes now streaming down his cheeks. All he needed was something—a trace, the faintest particle of magical energy that might lead them forward. He blinked again, his eyelids nearly giving in.
Then he saw it—a small blue light at the far end of the chamber. The technique faded, but he was able to exhale in relief.
"D-did you s-see… anything?" Ada whispered.
The Blendbreed nodded and, without another word, guided her through the dark underground. They crept along the wall that bordered the room, moving stealthily until they reached the long-sought exit.
The entrance door—a heavy slab of rusted metal—opened without making a sound. The two slipped through quickly, but Ada left it ajar.
The daughter of Rutia justified herself: "I-if w-we c-close it, it m-m-might m-make a sound."
Shirei nodded and turned to look at the new area they had reached. The sickly green glow of the Blade of Discord dimly lit the scene, revealing a setting straight out of a post-apocalyptic nightmare.
The laboratory was a vast, cavernous space, its high ceilings lost in darkness. A short corridor led to a door intermittently lit by a flickering emergency light. On either side, transparent glass walls allowed a view of rows of worktables, cluttered with scientific equipment hastily abandoned. Beakers and test tubes lay overturned, their contents dried on the floor.
Shirei froze when he felt Ada's cold skin brush against him—she had started chattering her teeth from fear. "I-it's a-all ex-exactly the s-same…"
The Blendbreed clutched his companion's forearm and began walking through the corridor, eyes scanning for any detail that might lead them to the leader of the Equinox Flowers.
A door on the left was still closed, so Shirei struck the handle with his sword and pushed it open with the blade's tip. The room's walls were lined with whiteboards and screens. On them, incomprehensible chemical formulas and complex diagrams had been scribbled in frantic handwriting. In one corner stood a series of empty cages, large enough to hold a mid-sized creature.
Maybe the experiments didn't just involve the patients, but also the already transformed monsters, the boy thought. That would explain why these creatures attack humans too—and not just the Blendbreeds.
He moved forward cautiously. Gently pulling away from his companion's grip, he began to brush his fingers across the tables. His violet eyes scanned the surfaces, searching for clues about the nature of the experiments conducted in that forsaken place.
Then the Blade of Discord lit up a scattered pile of documents. The pages were covered in notes, but what caught his attention was a name that kept appearing: Phantom Church.
"Ada," he called quietly, "have you ever heard of the Phantom Church?"
The Blendbreed, still trembling, shook her head. Her eyes wandered through the room, as if she were seeing things invisible to Shirei.
Does the ichor prevent me from seeing the spirits in this room? he wondered, but dismissed the idea when Ada's gaze locked back onto his.
He continued examining the documents, finding cryptic references to experiments and to the rite of sanctification, which, according to his hypothesis, was linked to the creation of the rift monsters.
"Phasmafili," he said aloud.
He kept reading to find the translation of the word, which appeared in the creature sketches.
"Phasmafili, ghost children. Born from the ichor of Lichi," he read aloud. "I don't think I've ever heard of them before, but they're the rift monsters we've been fighting."
He froze, then read it again. It was Latin. Since when could he read Latin?
More secrets locked in my lost memories… he admitted to himself with great frustration before returning to the document analysis.
The Phantom Church kept being mentioned again and again—a new piece of information that only seemed to raise more questions than answers, deepening the mystery surrounding the entire hospital.
"So it's an organization that includes members of this facility's staff."
But something still felt off.
Ada says she doesn't know the Phantom Church, but there's a connection between her and the Wanderer. Could Lichi be another name for Rutia? That would make sense.
After reviewing all the documents, he gestured for his companion to follow him and exited the room.
If the ichor truly belongs to Rutia, that would tie her to the church—but it would also mean she's trying to create monsters.
The image of the goddess appeared in his mind, and he recalled the times he had seen her. She often seemed to know more than she was willing to reveal, yet he was certain she wasn't evil.
She's Cragar's consort. I can trust her… but then again, we're talking about events that happened a century ago.
He shook his head, pushing the thoughts aside. The journey to close the temporal rifts was granting him a tremendous amount of information. Still, he couldn't help but feel that all these inconsistencies were leading him dangerously close to a truth best left buried.
The hospital, the dead patients, the experiments in the underground, the mysterious PhantomChurch—everything felt like part of a much larger, much darker plan than he could have imagined.
I just wonder if all of this fits into Rakion's design, or if it belongs to another threat lurking in the shadows…
As thoughts swirled through his mind, he realized they were reaching the end of the corridor. Before them stood a massive door, promising to lead them even deeper underground. Taking a deep breath, he tightened his grip on the Blade of Discord.
A heavy, hurried sound shattered the silence. It came from the other side, beyond the door. Shirei shifted into a defensive stance, his weapon glowing menacingly in the dark.
"Ada, stay back."
The daughter of Rutia did as she was told, but unsheathed her twin blades and raised them. She was struggling, as shown by the trembling in her arms, yet her posture made it clear she was ready to fight.
Shirei was glad to see that. He had come to know Ada as a strong and independent girl—seeing her reduced to her current state had been deeply unsettling.
The two exchanged a nod. Then the Blendbreed opened the door and pointed his weapon toward a humanoid figure.
"Havel?" the Equinox Flowers exclaimed in unison.
The son of Sidal was in rough shape—his muscular body covered in cuts and bruises, with open wounds dripping blood onto the floor. His eyes were wide with shock, breath ragged.
"What the hell are you doing here!? Are you insane?" he hissed angrily.
It was clear he didn't want to make noise.
"Ada, you're in no condition to fight. You should've stayed safe."
The Blendbreed weakly replied, "Y-you… y-you're in d-d-danger. W-we won't l-leave y-you behind."
The two embraced, and the violet-eyed boy watched in solemn silence.
Havel gave a smile, then slapped Shirei on the head. "What happened?"
The boy's voice remained little more than a murmur despite the anger in it. Shirei followed the Blendbreed into the new area, trying to make as little noise as possible.
"I entered the Evanescent Trail. I'm sorry."
Havel waved the matter away. "Ah… well, it's fine, I understand in this case. Come on, I've located the ichor."
However, the interior of the room was far from a safe haven from the wanderer.
"You mustn't make noise," the group leader warned them. "The ichor is at the end of the room, but it's impossible to reach it."
"Why?" asked Shirei.
"The monsters block every way to get to it, and I can't fight them all at once. That's where the aether is."
He pointed in the distance to a source of blue light, which the son of Cragar followed with his gaze before realizing the problem he had just mentioned.
The room was vast, the ceiling so high it was lost in the darkness. The air was thick with a metallic, sweetish scent, almost suffocating. Occasional drops of liquid fell from above, creating viscous pools on the floor. What caught their attention were the countless blood-and-darkness bubbles hanging from the ceiling, vibrating in the air like a macabre parody of festive decorations. Each one, the size of a grown man, pulsed with a bluish light. Inside them, visible through the translucent membrane, were twisted and moving shapes: embryonic versions of the Phasmafili.
Ada held her breath, horrified as she watched the creatures in formation. In some bubbles, the brutal features of the male Phasmafili were clearly visible: jutting teeth pressing against the wall, blind eyes spinning frantically. In others, the skeletal forms of the female specimens writhed, partially-formed bat wings weakly flapping against their bloody prison.
They were maturing, that's why they didn't appear in the hospital in the morning. Assuming the temporal rift brought them back to life, the creatures would develop and then hatch as soon as evening fell.
"That's why Rakion chose to create the rift here, for the monsters."
Ada collapsed to her knees, hands pressed against her ears as she murmured the mantra she had repeated in the cafeteria.
"The lion is here. The lion is hungry."
Despite his wounds, Havel positioned himself next to her and helped her up. "The lion may be here, but so are we. Hercules kills the Nemean lion, remember?"
Ada seemed to grasp the message.
The son of Sidal, however, felt a shiver run down his spine. He knew they were trapped between the director blocking their escape and the horror that had been incubating in front of them. As the leader of the group, he had to come up with a feasible plan. The blood bubbles seemed to pulse more and more, as if they could sense the presence of potential prey.
"I wonder how much time is left…"
The silence of the room was shattered by a deafening roar, so powerful it made the very foundations of the building tremble. The casings, responding to the primal call, began to emit sounds.
"I'm just mocking myself…" muttered the Blendbreed with a grimace.
In an instant, the incubation spheres exploded in a shower of blood and tissue, releasing the monstrous creatures inside.
The Phasmafili fell to the ground, still covered in viscous fluids, and launched themselves into the attack. There was a third type of creature, small monsters with hybrid features between the two specimens, their distinctive tongues hanging from their lips.
The son of Cragar realized.
They must be the newly transformed Phasmafili. They haven't fully developed, just like embryos. He immediately struck one, causing it to succumb. A newborn, the Phasmafilio.
The Equinox Flowers were in the middle of an ambush. The Blade of Discord cut through the air, leaving trails of acidic green light in the darkness. Havel, despite his wounds, charged into battle like a demon, his axes spinning in a deadly ballet of steel and blood. Ada, still gripped by panic, barely managed to block the first strike. Her twin swords trembled in her hands, making her an easy target.
A monster approached her, but before it could strike, it was brought down by an axe thrown by Havel.
The son of Sidal shouted: "Ada! Don't stay there frozen! Fall back!"
The dark-haired girl nodded twice and did as she was told. She repeated to herself: "I am Ada, I am a Flower of the Equinox."
The resistance continued for another minute, but for every monster taken down, two more seemed to take its place. The sound of the battle was incredible, a chorus of screams mixed with the metallic clang of weapons inflicting damage on the enemies.
They were now surrounded; the only option left was to retreat to avoid the crazed creatures.
Havel grabbed the arm of a female Phasmafilio to hold her still and sent his axe through her abdomen. He turned just in time to see more monsters reaching Ada.
"Shirei!" shouted the leader to signal the problem.
The son of Cragar struck one of the creatures and hurled it away, but others were already on their way. In a few minutes, they would find themselves with no way out. He could have disappeared into the Interworld if his powers were accessible, but Havel and Ada wouldn't be able to follow him. They had to close the rift, and those monsters were an obstacle they couldn't afford to worry about.
Ada screamed in pain as one of the creatures slashed her cleanly.
"Ada? Ada!" Havel rushed to his companion as rivulets of black blood soaked the dark floor. "Are you okay?!"
A newborn Phasmafilio extended its tongue toward them. The boy was facing away and wouldn't have time to react. He heard the hiss of the sharp tongue slicing through the air and turned swiftly, but Shirei was faster. An upward diagonal strike cleaved the organ in half, making the creature recoil. A pained scream joined those of the other Phasmafili. Soon, it wouldn't be the only one.
The three Blendbreeds retreated toward the door. Shirei jumped onto one of the monsters, driving the Blade of Discord into its skull.
"Protect her," said the boy as greenish blood splattered across his face.
Havel hesitated. "And you?"
Another monster. The blonde pulled Rutia's daughter toward him, and Shirei drove the tip of his weapon into the chest of the Phasmafilio.
Havel and Ada reached the door, but the monsters were closing in on them. "Damn it, Purple! Move!"
The son of Cragar motioned to pass through the opening and kept retreating while holding the creatures at bay.
Ada reached out a hand toward him. "Sh-Shirei!"
The boy turned toward them. He was already near the passage, but a familiar sensation distracted him.
The mana, I feel it, it's in the wall… just like in the path.
He focused, drawing upon the new powers he had recently been able to explore. He hadn't thought he could manage it, considering the issue with the icore, but he tried anyway.
If the ethereal sight worked, I don't see why this wouldn't. He convinced himself.
With a simple touch, he sent the signal for the earth to shatter.
Ada and Havel's eyes met just in time to realize his intentions. The ancient stone crumbled under the impact, blocking the opening. Before they could protest, the Forbidden Heir caused more stone to collapse, sealing the door and trapping himself inside the room with the monsters.
Havel cursed furiously from the other side of the fallen wall, his voice hoarse with emotion. "Shirei, damn idiot!" He struck the wall with his fists. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
His voice faded, and they were now separated. Shirei took a deep breath and held the Blade of Discord high as more monsters overwhelmed him.
Now… it's just us.
He began to fight with a calm heart, knowing he would soon be overwhelmed. In a way, he felt unsatisfied. There were still a multitude of secrets to uncover, people to protect, and faces he wished to see again. Perhaps he regretted his choice, but he would make the same decision if given the chance. At least his companions would continue to live; it wasn't a bad consolation.
The Blendbreed instinctively ducked to avoid an attack, but his gaze landed on a Phasmafilio ready to pierce him with its tongue. He wanted to raise the Blade of Discord to protect himself, but it was deeply embedded in the chest of another creature.
He wouldn't have time. It was too late. It was the end.
He closed his eyes, heartbroken.
Was I too presumptuous?
The tongue hissed through the air, heading straight for his heart.
Marina…
A dark stain spread from the Blendbreed's feet, and suddenly, the creature was stopped by the hands of a Tenebrae rising from the mysterious dark earth. Venorias appeared in his full form and, with the grace of a death angel, sliced the monsters before him in two.
The son of Cragar reopened his eyes, calm and gleaming violet irises devoid of emotion.
"Another second and it would have been too late… weak."